Method of and apparatus for tuning reeds of musical instruments



Feb. 4, 1941. 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICXL INSTRUMENTS E. F. HAGER 11 Sheets- Sheet 1 lNVENTORi #8 ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 1'7, 1940 E. F. HAGER 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS 0F MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Feb. 4,1941.

Filed Feb. 17, 1940 ll Sheets-$11991. 2

NVENTORI WATI'QRNEYS E. F. HAGER 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Feb. 4, 1941.

Filed Feb. '17, 1940 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 W my Y n y B .7 R o H I w W L R\\ W n R g 2 I \Q. 2

5%; m k qm I a s Feb. 4, 1941. HAGER 7 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 17, 1940 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 "NVENTOR ATTdRNEY.

Feb. 4, 1941. E. F. HAGER 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. I7, 1940 ll Shets-Sheet 5 ATTORNE- Feb. 4, 1941. E F, HAGER 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSIGAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb 17, 1940 11 Sheats-Shaat. a.

54' w m4 1 i l i I 45 ffij if I \j Hi 1 E. F. HAG ER Feb. 4, 1941.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 17, 1940 ll Sheets-Sheet 7 gLENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1941. H E 2,230,222.:

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS lmg ToR BY M4 ,ATTORNEY- 1 E. F. HAGER 2,230,222

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSIC): INSTRUMENTS Feb. 4, 1941.

11 Sheets-Sheet l0 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1940 Z919.

|NvENT o R I ATTORN EY.

Feb. 4, 1941. E. F HAGER 2,230,2 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING REE-D5 OF MUSICAL INSTRUQENTS I Filed Feb. 17, 1940 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 m g g INVENT OR.

65 Q amma- Elm-II Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF APPARATUS FOR TUNING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application February 17, 1940, Serial No. 319,468

17 Claims.

This invention relates to the tuning of reeds for musical instruments and toys, of which harmonica reeds are a typical example, and has for its particular objects the provision of a compact,

sturdy and relatively inexpensive precision apparatus for accomplishing the tuning, including the proper setting of such reeds, as well as a simple and expeditious reed tuning method capable of being performed in such apparatus.

Heretofore it has been the almost universal practice to manually tune the reeds for harmonicas, organs, accordions and the like, a laborious and expensive operation. As a consequence, it has been virtually impossible to rapidly produce substantially uniformly tuned reeds in quantity production, wherein the average maximum difference in the vibration frequencies of the various reeds intended to produce the same musical half-note, when subjected to identical pneumatic impulses, was below the range of vibration detecta'ble by the car.

My investigations have led to the discovery that musical reeds can be uniformly and rapidly tuned automatically so that the average maximum difference in vibration frequencies between generally similar reeds intended to produce the same musical half-note, when subjected to identical pneumatic impulses, is less than 15%, a difference which is well below the limit ordinarily detectable by the best musically trained human ear. Furthermore, the tone quality of instruments equipped with such reeds is remarkably improved While but little time is required for such tuning operation and the cost thereof is materially lessened as compared with the previous manual tuning operations.

My invention is fully set forth in the following detail description thereof and drawings of a. preferred embodiment of a reed tuning apparatus, forming a part of such description, in which Figure l is a plan view partly broken away of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with one of the cam levers appean'ng in section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross section, partly in elevation, taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the turntables and directly associated parts, the section being taken substantially on the same line 4-4 as Fig, 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the lineG-G of Figs. 1 and 9, and illustrating thefeeding and reed plate extracting mechanisms of the machine;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line l-'! of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the lines 99 of Figs. 1 and 6, illustrating milling templet mechanism and reed plate extracting mechanism embodied in the machine;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in section, of an adjusting device associated with the milling templet mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section taken on the line |2-I2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a rear view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10; I 20 Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section, taken substantially on the lines I i-I4 of Figs. 1 and 18, illustrating mechanism for bending the reeds and discharging mechanism for the finished reeds; 125

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating the right hand end portion of certain parts which have been broken away in Figs. 1,

2 and 14, such as the receiving trays for the finished reeds;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line Iii-I6 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the line Ill-I1 of Fig. 4 and illustrating actuating mechanism for the turntables;

Fig. 18 is a cross section through thereed. bending mechanism taken substantially on the line l8-l8 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the testing device which I employ, the same being taken substantially on the line Iii-l9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 20 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 19 as indicated by the line 2lJ-20 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken on the line 2I2l of Fig. l; and

Figs. 22 to 28 inclusive are more or less diagrammatic views illustrating various steps in the operation of the machine.

Referring to the drawings and the construction shown therein, the reference letter A designates the reeds which are to be tuned and tested in the machine, the same being riveted to reed plates B which latter, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6, for example, are carried in closely spaced relation in a carrier or metal strip C from which the same have been first partially punched out and then r'e-inserted into the openings in the blank or carrier strip after which the reeds have been riveted thereto. In order to simplify the description it is to be understood that whenever reed plates are referred to hereinafter, this means the combination of the reed plate and the reed which is riveted thereto.

The carrier strip C, carrying the reed plates, is passed through a guide block 29 having-a pair of spring arms- 39, 30 which press the pins 3|, 3| downwardly to apply friction to the strip ad jacent its edges as it is being fed into the machine. The strip C then passes through a fixed support 32 having a horizontal slot 33 therein which guides the strip laterally and from thence it passes to a suitable support 34 for discharge as scrap.

The strip C is fed through the machine in a step-by-step movement by means of the feeding mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the same comprising a spring-pressed feed pawl 35 carried by a lever 36 pivoted at 31 and being operated (see Fig. 3) by a cam 38 mounted on the cam shaft D through the medium of a cam lever 39 having a rockshaft 43, an arm 4| fixed on the rockshaft 40, a link 42 connecting the arm 4| to a pivoted lever 43 and a link connecting the lever 43 to the lower end of the lever 36. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, a reed plate B had just been fed into place and is ready to be extracted from the strip C in the following manner.

The support 32 is provided with vertical guideways for aligning a pair of holding blocks 45 and 46, the lower one 46 moving upwards to engage the bottom of the reed plate immediately after it has been fed into position, as illustrated in Figs. 6, 9 and 22, whereupon the upper block 45 starts to move downwards to meet the reed plate so that it is held between the pair of blocks. Thereupon the two blocks 45 and 46 move downwardly together, with the reed plate held therebetween to extract the reed plate from the strip C,. and this downward movement continues until the reed plate is brought down to the level of a turntable 41 as shown in Fig. 23.

The above movement, as shown particularly in Fig. 9, is imparted to the upper block 45 by means of a cam 48 mounted on the cam shaft D and also by a cam lever 49 pivoted at 50 which has its free end in engagement with a collar 52 on a vertical rod 53 that carries an arm 54 at its upper end which is adjustably connected to the block 45. A spring 55 acts to yieldingl'y clamp the reed plate in place between the blocks and to hold the parts in operative association.

The lower block 46 has its movement imparted thereto by means of a cam 56 mounted on the cam shaft D and a cam lever 51 pivoted at 50 and having its free end 58 provided with a slot 59 for receiving a rod 6|] extending downwardly from the block 46. A spring 6! yieldingly acts on the block and holds the parts in operative association.

By referring to Fig. 23 it will be seen that as the blocks move downwardly to align the extracted reed plate B with the table 41, the strip feed pawl 35 moves toward the left and the lower spring-pressed pusher pawl 62 moves to the rightv and engages the reed plate B As the movement continues the pawl 62 pushes the reed plate into the receiving slots 63 of the table. The reed shown in Figs. 24 and 25 while the cam lever 39 is riding on the high part 38:]. of the cam 38, and during this period the upper block 45 moves upwardly and out of the opening in the strip C from which the reed plate B was extracted, it being noted by reference to Fig. 9 that the cam lever 49 which actuates the upper block 45 moves down to the low surface 55a, of the cam 55. As shown, the high dwell of the cam 56 is of such duration that the cam makes almost a complete revolution before the cam lever 51 moves to the low surface 55a to return the lower block 46 to the position shown in Fig. 22. In the meantime the cam lever 39 moves to the position shown in Fig. 3, causing the pawl 35 to feed the strip to the right and to bring another reed plate into place besides causing the pawl 52 to move to its left-hand position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 6. If for any reason it is desired to have the feed pawl 35 run idle, i. e. without eifecting the feeding of the strip C, a lever 350. which is normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 is manually moved sothat its arm 35b is brought into a position of engagement with the pawl 35 thereby holding the pawl in a downward position out of contact with the strip, as indicated in dot-and-dash lines at 350 in Fig. 24.

Having inserted the reed plate B into the table 41'as above described, the next operation is that of rotating the table 90 in a clockwisedirection to bring'this reed plate into position for performing a milling operation on its reed by means of a milling cutter 65. In order to do this, the turntable must first be raised up to clear certain parts, then rotated, and then lowered again to its normal position- The milling cutter 65 must also be raised, as will presently appear.

The table 41 is moved upwardly by means of a cam lever 65 pivoted at 61 at one end and having a roller at its other end riding on a cam 68 secured on the cam shaft D. At a point 69 intermediate of its ends the lever 63 engages a thrust bearing provided on the vertical shaft 1! of the turntable 41, there being a compression spring 12 mounted in a socket in the table plate 13 of the machine which presses downwardly on the thrust bearing 19 to press the lever 66 against the cam.

Step-by-step rotative movement is imparted to.

the table 41 by means of a Geneva gear movement E of well known construction, the same being fully illustrated in Figs. 4 and l7,'the star wheel 14 of which is secured to the shaft H. The shaft 15 carrying the member 15 of the Geneva movement is rotatably mounted in bearings 11 and 18 provided on the table plate 13 and base 19 respectively. The shaft 15 has a gear 80 secured thereon which meshes with a gear 8| secured on the cam shaft D. The gears 85 and 8| are of oneto-one ratio and therefore the member 15 rotates one revolution for each revolution of the camshaft D, and thus the table is rotated 90 for each revolution of the cam shaft. 5 By referring to Figs. 4 and 17 it will be seen that the high part 68a of the cam 68 lifts the cam lever 66 to raise the turntable 41 just prior to the time that the pin 16a. of the member 16 of the Geneva causes rotation of the star wheel I4 and the turntable, so that this rotation takes place when the turntable is in its upper or raised position. Since the Geneva movement imparts quick rotation to the turntable, the high dwell of the cam is relatively short so that the turntable starts to move down to its normal position immediately after it has been turned to allow ample time for the operations on the reed.

The milling cutter 65 is mounted on an arbor 82 having bearings in a bracket 83 pivoted at 84 on a longitudinally reciprocating support 85. Pulleys 86 are secured on the arbor 82 and are adapted to be driven by belts 81 passing over pulleys 88 secured on a shaft 09 mounted in bearings on the support 85. The shaft 89 is driven by means of a motor 90 supported on the base plate 19 and having a drive pulley 9i connected by means of a belt 92 to a pulley 93 secured on the end of the shaft 89.

The arm 94 of the bracket 83 is provided with a head 95 in which is mounted a vertically adjustable follower 96 having a rounded rib 96a on its bottom for engagement with a templet plate 91 as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 9 and 26 and to be fully described hereinafter. The head 95 also has a lateral lug 98 (see Fig. 9) adapted to be engaged on the bottom by a vertical rod 99 which is in engagement at its bottom with an adjustable screw I carried by a cam lever IOI pivoted at 50 and having a cam roller at its free end riding on a cam I 02 secured on the cam shaft D. A stud I03 having a knob at its upper end, extends upwardly from the lug 98 for the purpose of being able to conveniently swing the bracket 83 upwardly, for example when it is desired to inspect the templet plate 91.

A compression spring I04 bearing against a fixed member I surrounds the stud I03 and acts to yieldingly maintain the follower 96 against the plate 91 when the low dwell I02a of the cam I02 is in engagement with the cam lever l0l. When the lever IOI is lifted by the cam lobe I021) of the cam I02 the rod 99 is moved upwardly, the bracket 83 swung upwardly on its pivot 84, the spring I04 compressed, and the milling cutter 65 is raised upwardly a distance such that the turntable 41 will clear it when the turntable is in its top position and being rotated in the manner above described. In this connection it is to be noted that the table-lifting cam 68 and the milling cutter are raised and lowered substantially together, there being preferably a slight lag in the lowering of the milling cutter.

In the position shown in Fig. 9 the cam lever IN is not quite in its lowest position, and therefore the lug 98 is bearing down on the rod 99 and this in turn on the screw I00 and cam lever IOI. However, as soon as the cam rotates a little further in the direction of the arrow the lever IOI drops down to ride on the low dwell I02a of the cam and the rod 99 leaves the lug 98 and thereby the follower 96 is spring-pressed onto the templet plate 91 and follows its contour when it is moved, as will presently appear.

Having now rotated the extracted reed plate 13 into position B underneath the milling cutter, the reed is ready for the milling operation. As has been already'explained, the milling cutter 65 and the templet follower 96 are both carried by the bracket 83 which in turn is carried by the reciprocable support 85 and therefore both of these move to and fro together. This movement is imparted to the support 85 by means of a cam I06 secured on the cam shaft D and having a cam groove I01 receiving a cam roller I08 mounted-on a bracket I09 which depends from the support 85. The support has dove-tailed sliding engagement with a fixed base member I I0 secured on the table plate I3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 26, in which the full-line position of the cutter 65 and follower 96 corresponds to the positions of these parts as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 9, it will be seen that the cutter 65 is held at a point spaced slightly above the free end of the reed because the rib 96a of the follower 96 is resting on a high surface of the templet plate 91. When the cam I08 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, the support 85, the milling cutter, and the follower move to the left, whereby the follower rides down the incline I II and brings the milling cutter down onto the reed to start milling it. As movement to the left continues, the follower follows the contour of the templet plate and the milling cutter has corresponding movement imparted thereto, so that the reed is milled in accordance with the contour of the templet plate 91 during such movement of the cutter to the left while the same is rotating and so engaging the reed. Toward the end of this left-hand stroke the follower rides up the incline H2 and onto the left-hand high surface of the plate 91 to again raise the cutter clear of the reed. Various positions of the cutter and follower are shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 26. Then the support and associated parts are moved to the right to return to the position of starting, and the above operation is repeated, it being noted, howeverthat, as these parts approach the end of their right-hand stroke, the bar 99 comes into action to raise the bracket 83 and the turntable is at the same time actuated to bring a new reed plate into position for milling.

It is to be noted that durin this milling operation a fixed anvil II3 having a top portion which fits the slot in the reed plate, supports the reed as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 26. Also a flexible wire II4 carried by the head 95 bears down on the reed. The anvil H3 is provided with a plurality of holes I I 5 which extend downwardly from its top surface to a common hole II6 which in turn communicates with a lateral hole H1. A suction pipe H8 (see Fig. 1) leads from' the hole II! to a suitable source of high suction. Thus the reed is suction-held in tight engagement with the anvil I I3. In order to permit of self-adjustment of the reed on the anvil the spring plate 63a is slightly lifted by means of a pin 631) as shown in Figs. 5 and 26. The source of high suction referred to is applied at the proper time by means of a cam Illa and associated valve mechanism II'Ib illustrated in Fig.3.

In order to keep the various operating parts which are located in the region of the milling clear of milling chips, the chips are removed by a vacuum or suction device (not shown) having a pipe I no leading to the milling cutter and equipped with a nozzle II'Id positioned over the milling cutter. Also in order to clear the anvil I I3 of chips I have provided a pressure line I lie having a pipe I Hi leading to a point adjacent the anvil and equipped with a nozzle IIIg. This pressure line is controlled by a valve II'Ih actuated by a cam I IIk indicated in Fig. 3.

The reed plate with its milled reed is then rowhich when turned down, for example, will raise the milling cutter. The screw 96b is locked in adjusted position by a clamp screw 96c and the follower 96 is locked in adjusted position by a set screw 95d.

In addition to the above adjustment, I have provided a device illustrated in detail in Figs. to 13 inclusive, for providing microscopic adjustment of the templet plate 91 comprising a body member I having a cut-out portion I2I with a lower fiat surface I22 on which a wedge I23 slides. The wedge I23 has a top inclined face I24 on which rests a member I25 having a similarly inclined lower face I26. A member I21 is pivotally connected at I28 to the member I 25 and the plate 91 is secured to this member I21. The wedge I23 and the members I25 and I21 are laterally positioned by side plates I20a. The adjacent faces I29 and I30 of the members I25 and I21 are inclined away from each other, and a roller I2I fits therebetween. This roller is carried by an adjusting screw I32 which is threaded into the body member I20.

An adjusting screw I33 is threaded into the wedge I23 and extends outwardly through a. clearance hole I34 in the body member I20. This screw I33 is held against longitudinal movement by means of a bracket I35 having a portion I36 fitting between the head I31 of the screw and a spaced collar I 38 secured on the screw. The member I21 is held down against the roller I3I by a spring clip I39.

By manipulating the adjusting screws I32 and I33 the position of the templet plate 91 may be altered, the screw I33 moving the wedge back and forth to raise and lower the member I25 and the screw I32 moving the roller I3I back and forth to rock the member I 21 on its pivot I28. For example, referring to Fig. 10, if the screw I33 is turned to move the wedge I23 to the right then the screw I32 is turned to move the roller I3I to the right. This keeps the member I25 in contact with the wedge and lowers the pivot I28. At the same time the roller I3I operates on the inclined face I30 of the member I21 to tilt it upwardly and change the angular disposition of the plate 91. If the wedge and roller are moved to the left then the pivot I28 is raised and the member I21 tilts downwardly to give a different adjustment. A reading of the adjustments may be made by means of the pointer I40 and scale I4I, the pointer being moved by means of a pin I42 thereon which extends through a'slot I43 to en gage the wedge I23, against which it is held by a spring I44. The adjusting screws are locked in adjusted position by set screws l45. The position of the device as a whole may be adjusted by means of an adjusting screw I48 having an indicating pointer I41 associated therewith.

With reference to the four 90 step movements of the turntable 41 above described, it is pointed out that with each 90 step movement of the table, reed plate-receiving slots are brought into position to receive an extracted reed plate and a new reed plate is brought into position for milling, and also a milled reed plate is brought into position for transfer to the second turntable.

The parts'are so coordinated that a reed plate is being extracted at one station so to speak, while one is being milled atanother station, and while one is being transferred at another station, thus effecting a great saving of time.

Referring now to the transferring of the milled reed plate to the second turntable I I9, this is accomplished when both turntables are in their lowered positions in which they are in aligned registry with a fixed bridge member I48 located in the space between the peripheries of the tables. The member I48 has edge grooves I49 for receiving and guiding the reed plate in its transfer from one turntable to the other. A pusher I50having an upstanding tongue I5I fitting in back of the reed plate, is actuated by the arm I52 of a bell crank lever I53 to remove the reed plate from the turntable 41 and insert it into the slots of the receiving jaw B5 of the turntable H9. The other arm I54 of the bell crank lever I53 has a downwardly projecting pin I55 fittinga slot in a member I56 secured to a dovetailed slide member I51 carried by a base member I58 (see Fig. 14). The slide member I51 is connected to the upper arm I59 of a cam lever 159a by means of a. link I60 and the lower arm of the cam lever carries a roller in contact with a cam I6I mounted on a cam shaft F (see Fig. 2). When the cam lobe I62 operates the cam lever the slide I51 is moved to the right to rock the bell crank lever in a direction to push the reed plate into the jaw B of the turntable I I9.

The slide member I 51 has an upstanding lug I 63 at its left-hand end as viewed in Fig. 14, having a tongue I64 which fits in back of a reed plate carried in the jaw B of the turntable cam lever I59a to transfer a reed plate from the first turntable to the second turntable, the completely finished'reed at 13 is simultaneously removed from the turntable II9 into theslots I65 of a receiving member I66 and from thence into a tray I61 aligned with the member I 66; IniFigs. 1 and 14 I have shown a number of finished reed plates in the tray I61. i

Reverting now to the transfer of a reed plate from the first turntable to the second turntable, it is to be observed that the turntable I 49 is then rotated through 90 in a counterclockwise direction to bring the reed plate into a position B where it is ready for a bending operation by a device illustrated at G- in Figs. 1, 14', 18, 27 and 28. However, in order to rotate the turntable II9 it must first be raised, then rotated in its raised po-' sition and then lowered into its normal 'or lower position in a manner similar to'the action of the turntable 41 above described. The turntable H9 is secured on a vertical shaft I68 provided with a thrust collar I69, between which and thefree end of a cam lever I10 is'mounted a thrust bearing the turntable H9 is lifted to clear the parts it would otherwise interfere with, is then rotated through and then lowered again to its normal position.

It should be noted that as certain parts of the bending device G and an extension plate I16 thereof to be later described, are located in immediate association with the turntable H9, these parts therefore must also move upwardly when the turntable is lifted to permit of its rotation, To accomplish this upward movement I have mounted a supporting bracket I11 for the upper guide member I18 of the device G for up-anddown sliding movement on a fixed support I19 as by means of a dove-tailed connection I88. The slidable bracket I11 has a depending pin I8I adapted to be engaged by an adjustable screw I82 located adjacent the free end portion of a cam lever I83 pivotally connected at I84 to the fixed table 13 of the machine. A cam roller I85 is also carried by the cam lever I83 at its free end and rides on a cam I88 secured on the cam shaft F. As shown in the drawings, the parts just referred to are in their lower or normal positions, but when the cam I86 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 18 until the cam roller leaves the low dwell I81 of the cam and rides up onto the cam lobe I88, then the lever I83 is raised so that its screw I82 pushes upwardly on the pin I8I to raise the parts to their uppermost position. When the cam lobe I88 passes the cam roller the parts will again be lowered to normal position.

The bending device G comprises the upper guide member I18 above referred to for a plurality of upper bending bars I89, five being shown in this instance. As will be seen from inspection of Figs. 14 and 18, these bars have substantially square shanks I98 and T-heads I9I. The bottom edges of the shanks are V-shaped to contact the top surface of the reed as clearly shown in Fig. 18. The bars are fitted side-byside in a guide slot I92 in the member I18. A bracket I93 is secured to the member I18 and is provided with a portion I94 overhanging the T-heads I9I of the bars in vertically spaced relation thereto. Each bar is provided at its top with an adjusting screw I95 for moving it up and down into its desired position of adjustment, the screw being threaded into holes in the overhanging portion I94 of the bracket I93.

The device G also comprises a lower fixed guide member I96 for a plurality of lower bending bars I91, there being also five of these in this instance. These lower bars are located in alignment with the upper bars, as viewed in Fig. ,14, but as viewed in Fig. 18 they are arranged in staggered relation to the upper bars. The top edges of the shanks of these bars I91 are V-shaped to contact the bottom surface of the reed at points between the upper bars, as clearly shown in Fig. 18. The bottom portions of the lower bars are enlarged, as shown in Fig. 14, and inclined surfaces I98 are provided on the enlargements for engagement with adjusting levers I99, there being one lever for each bar. The levers are adjusted by means of screws 200 threaded into holes in the guide member I96.-

As will appear from the foregoing, the upper and lower bars I89 and I91, respectively, may be adjusted to give any desired curvature to the reed, the upper bars directly by turning thescrews I95 and the lower bars by turning the screws 280 to rock the levers I99 which in turn act on the inclined surfaces I98 of the bars. The upper bars are held in upward position against the screws I95 by means of springs 28I and the lower bars are held in downward position against the levers I99 by means of springs 202.

The operation of the device G is as follows: Assuming that the reed plate which is shown in the first turntable 41 at B has been transferred to the aligned jaw B of the second turntable H9, and that the turntable H9 and the upper guide member I18 and associated parts are in their raised positions, then the turntable H9, While in this position, is rotated through 90 by means of a step-by-step rotating device H shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 17, comprising a reciprocating rack 203, a pinion 284, a ratchet device 295, a cam lever 296 pivotally connected at its upper end to the fixed table 13 of the machine and a cam 281 secured on the cam shaft F. The lever 206 has a pin connection 288 with the rack 203 at its lower end, and is provided with a cam roller 299 intermediate of its ends for engagement with the cam 201. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 4, the cam roller 289 is in engagement with the low dwell of the cam and the rack is in its right-hand position of reciprocation. When the cam rotates in the direction of the arrow, an amount such that the cam lobe 2I8 engages the cam roller 209, then the lever is rocked to the left to move the rack 293 to its left-hand position of reciprocation. In this left-hand movement of the rack the pawls 2| I of the ratchet device which are mounted on the pinion 204 engage the elongated shoulders 2I2 of the turntable shaft I68 and. cause rotation of the shaft and turntable in the direction of the arrow, it being noted that the cam 281 is so corelated to the turntable lifting cam I13 that this rotative movement takes place when the turntable is in I the uppermost position above referred to.

As these cams continue their rotation, the rack operating cam lever 28B rocks to the right, carrying, the rack with it. During this right-hand movement of the rack the pinion 294 is rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow in Fig. 17, and the pawls 2H ratchet past the shoulders 2I2 of the shaft so that the shaft remains in the position to which it had been moved. At the same time the above is taking place, the turntable raising lever I10 moves to its downward position and the turntable is lowered to its normal position. This causes the reed of the reed plate at B to be bent upwardly by the lower bars I91 of the device G, it being pointed out that the fixed 'guide member I98 for these bars is so positioned that the bars fit into the slot of the reed plate 5 when the table is lowered.

It is also to be observed that the cam I86 for raising and lowering the upper guide member I18 is so corelated to the cams I13 and 281 that the guide member with its bending bars IE9 is lowered substantially at the same time that the table H9 is lowered, thus bringing the bars I89 1 I181) carried by a lug I secured to the slidable member I11, acts against the top of the bracket I19 as a downward stop for the member I18.

While the reed is being held by the bending bars as just described, a scraping operation is performed on the reed in order to remove any burrs therefrom which may have occurred during the milling operation previously'described. The scraping device is illustrated in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, and also appears in Figs. 1, 2, l8 and 28. t comprises a sraper 2l6 having a pair of upstanding knife edges 2|! which straddle the reed and scrape along the side edges of the reed to remove the burrs. The scraper 2I6 is secured to a dove-tailed slide member 2l8 mounted in a dove-tailed guide 2I9 provided in the vertical movable support IT! above described. A downwardly projecting slotted lug 220 is provided on the scraper 2l5 into the slot of which the rounded end 22! of a cam lever 222 projects. The cam lever is pivoted at 223 to the fixed table plate 13 of the machine, and is provided with a cam roller 224 at its lower end for engagement with a cam 225 secured on the cam shaft F. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 18, the cam lobe 226 of the cam 225 is just leaving the roller of the cam lever so that the cam lever has started to move to the right at its lower end and to the left at its upper end under influence of the spring 221. Thus the slide member 2! and the scraper 2l6 have started their scraping movement to the left, and as the cam continues to rotate in the direction of the arrow, this scraping action is completed. When the cam lobe 226 again comes around to the cam roller 224 the scraper H6 is moved to the right. By comparing the relative positions of the cam lobe I88 of the cam I86 and the cam lobe 226 of the cam 225, it will be seen that when the support H1 and its associated parts including the scraper are in their upper or raised positions, the scraper is in its right-hand position, and that the scraper starts in its left-hand movement slightly after these parts have been lowered to their normal positions. The chips are blown away at this scraping and bending mechanism by means of a pipe ll'lm having a nozzle llln which pipe leads from the pressure supply pipe ll'le above described.

The neXt operation is that of testing the reed for tone, and this is accomplished by a suction testing device K associated with the turntable H9. The reed plate at B on which the bending and scraping operations were just performed, is brought intoregistry at B with the testing device K, as shown in Figs. 4 and 19, by a 90 rotation of the table in the manner above described. This reed plate fits over a rectangular opening 221 in the top plate 228 of the testing device, which opening is slightly smaller than the size of the reed plate so that the reed plate overlaps the opening at its periphery when it is brought down into registry with the opening when the turntaable is lowered into its normal position, it being pointed out that at this time the extension member I16 of the guide member H8 above described is also brought down, so that a bottom annular rib 229 surrounding the rectangular opening 230 of this extension member firmly contacts the top surface of the reed plate to hold it in place under the tension of the springs 2I4 above described in connection with the bending device G.

The testing device comprises the top plate 228 just referred to, a body member 23| mounted on the table plate 13 of the machine, and suction pipes and cavities, as will now be described, having connection with a source of suction such as vacuum pump of any well known form, whereby suction is applied to the reed being tested to sound its tone in a manner similar to that of inhaling when playing a harmonica. i

A main suction pipe 232 leading from the source of suction, is connected to .a cavity 223 in the body member 23| leading to a chamber-234 in the top plate-228J The opening 221 of the top plate is in communication with the chamber 234 at its corner 235. vided with a junction block 232 having a cavity 23! therein to which a tube 233 is connected. This tube has an adjustable plunger 239 therein (see Fig. 1) adapt-ed to be moved in and out for the purpose of adjusting the volumetric capacity of the suction passages leading from the pipe 232 to the chamber 234 in order to regulate the tone 1n the testing device.-

In this connection it ispointed out that a given reed in a harmonica may be given somewhat varying tones according to the manner in which it is played. The plunger 239 is set at a position of adjustment such that the tone produced on the reed in the testing device will match the tone the reed should have if properly played. This plunger is moved in, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, to obtain higher tones, and out, or to the right, to obtain lower tones.

In addition to the above I have provided another tube 240 and adjustable plunger 24! for further adjustment of the above character. The

tube 240 at its left-hand end as viewed in Fig. 1,

is in communication with the chamber 234 by means of a cavity 242 which communicates with the cavity 233 as clearly shown in Figs. 19 and 20. The adjustable plunger 24! has a longitudinally extending groove 24 3 therein (see Figs 1 and 21) for establishing communication from the left-hand portion of the tube 242 to the right-hand portion of the tube. The right-hand end portion of this tube is connected into a junction block 244 having a cavity such as shown at 245 therein, the upper end of which is in communication with the interior of thetube by means of an opening such as shown at 246-, and to the lower end of which a suction pipe 241 leading to the source of vacuum is connected.

Reverting now to the chamber 234 illustrated in- Figs. 1-9 and 20, a hole 248 extends downwardly thereinto from the topsurface of the top plate 28. Communication of this hole with the atmosphere is controlled by means of a valve plate 249 slidingly' mounted on the top surface of the top plate 228, and having a tapered edge 25!! which governs the amount that the hole is un- The suction pipe 232 is procovered in accordance with the position of the valve plate 249. p

Adjustment of this valve plate, together with the adjustment of the plunger 24 I, gives the necessary control ofthe conditions required to obtain the proper effect onthe reeds intesting them.

In connection with the testing of the reeds, it is pointed out that in harmonicas two reeds of the same tone are placed in parallel spaced relation at the top and bottom of an air cell, and that reed of'the reed'plate 25l corresponds to the mate reed which would be associated in the harmonica with the reed of the reed plate being tested. Thus in testing, I have duplicated the actual harmonica condition.

In order to determine if the reed being tested is of proper tone, I associate a microphone, as indicated at 253 in Figs. 1 and 2, with the testing device K, for picking up the sound. A recording device (not shown) of any suitable form having an indicator giving a reading of the sound, is associated with the microphone.

If a reed being tested is of the correct reading, the operator of the machine permits it to be discharged onto the tray H51, but if it is not of the correct reading, he raises the tray I61 out of registry with the associated jaw of the turntable I I 9 and brings a tray 254 into registry with the jaw for reception of this reed.

In order to accomplish this, the trays l5! and 254 are mounted on a support 255 pivoted at 256 (see Fig. 15) at one end and. resting on a sleeve 25! of a bar 258 adjacent its other end. The bar 258 connects the upper ends of a pair of arms 259 which are pivotally mounted at 260 on a fixed part of the machine. One of the arms 259 is provided with a handle 26! for the operator to move the trays as desired. A link 262 connects one of the arms 258 to an operating lever 263 located at an end of the machine, thus giving the operator two points of control for the trays. The pivot 260 is eccentric-ally mounted, as shown in Fig. 14, to provide for adjusting the receiving ends of the trays into proper registry with the turntable.

With reference to the testing of the reeds, I

-. have also provided for an additional check in the testing device K by means of checking with a master reed by the well known stroboscopic method. For this purpose I have provided an additional rectangular opening 221a in the top plate 228, at the top of which I mount a master reed 264 and at the bottom its mate reed 265. Suction is applied and controlled in a manner similar to that above described by means of a valve controlled main suction pipe 232a, cavities 233a, chamber 234a, tube 240a, plunger 24la, cavity 242a, junction block 244, cavity 245, hole 246, suction pipe 247a, hole 248a and valve plate 249a, all of which correspond to like parts above described. If it is not desired to use the additional method of checking, the valve 264a controlling the pipe 232a may be closed and blank plates such as indicated at 2641) may be employed in place of reed plates to cover the rectangular opening 221a in the top plate 228, as shown in Figure 20.

Any suitable form of gauge for the vacuum or suction such as the water gauge indicated at L, may be associated with the suction devices of the machine.

The cam shafts D and F are drivingly connected together for rotation in the same direction as by means of sprocket wheels and a drive chain indicated at 266 in Figure 4. The cam shafts receive their drive from the motor above described through the medium of any suitable speed reducing device indicated at 261 in Figure 1, the take-01f shaft 268 of which is drivingly connected by means such as sprocket wheels 269 and 210 and a drive chain 2'. A clutch 212 is provided for connecting and disconnecting the sprocket 21!] from the cam shaft D.

By the employment of my improved precision apparatus for tuning and setting reeds and the method for accomplishing such tuning, as herein described, it is possible to rapidly produce at a minimum cost accurately tuned reed. and'reed plate units. Each reed and reed plate unit intended to produce the same musical note which is tuned in an automatic apparatus and in accordance with the method of tuning the same as hereinbefore described, possesses all of the aforesaid desirable tonal qualities both because of the remarkable uniformity and precision of the milling and setting of the individual reeds of each unit as well as the delicate and accurate means and method employed in the testing thereof. Furthermore, such automatic tuning greatly minimizes the time required for tuning such units as compared with manual operations heretofore employed besides accomplishing a substantial saving in the cost of tuning such reeds, and especially relatively small reeds such for example as harmonica reeds.

Various changes in the aforesaid apparatus and method may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desired to obtain by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for the tuning of musical reeds, the combination comprising a supporting frame, step-by-step feeding means carried thereby for separately feeding to a selected station of the machine a carrier strip having a longitudinally disposed series of reed-and-reed-plate units mounted therein, extracting means, including jaw members, for removing a single unit from the carrier strip upon its arrival at such station, a turn table having a series of peripherally disposed slots thereon for the reception of each unit as the same is so removed from the carrier strip, a milling cutter disposed adjacent said turn table, means for raising and lowering said turn table, means, including a Geneva gear movement, for effecting the step-by-step rotative movement of said table through predetermined similar arcs, templet means, including a pattern plate and a follower arm, associated with said milling cutter for definitely controlling the milling action thereof to a predetermined degree in conformity with the contour of the pattern plate, means for raising and lowering said milling cutter in substantial synchronism with the raising and lowering movements of said turn table, anvil means for supporting the reed element of each unit, independently of its associated reed plate, during the milling operation thereon, means for raising and lowering said anvil, vacuum means for maintaining the anvil and a reed in suction engagement with each other during the milling operation, a second turn table mounted adjacent the other turn table, an intermediate bridge for transferring reed plates from one table to the other, means for raising and lowering the second turn table, means for rotating the latter table stepby-step through partial revolutions to successively move a reed plate carried thereby to different stations along the periphery of such turn table, means associated with one of the stations of said machine for setting a milled reed to a predetermined curvature, the same including upper and lower guide means, each guide member having a plurality of separate, vertically adjustable bending bars mounted therein, each having an angular tip adapted to have line contact with a reed to be set, means on upper guide member for efiecting the trimming of lateral edges of a tuned reed while the same is positioned on said turn table and testing means, including a microphone and a sound recording device, associated with said turn table for determining the accuracy of the tone of such reed.

2. In a machine for tuning reeds for musical instruments, the combination comprising a supporting frame, stepby-step feeding means carried thereby for separately feeding to a selected station of the machine a carrier strip having a longitudinally disposed series of reed-and-reedplate units mounted therein, extracting means for removing a single unit from the carirer'strip upon its arrival at such station, a turn table having a series of peripherally disposed slots thereon for the reception of each unit as the same is so removed from the carrier strip, a milling cutter disposed adjacent said turn table, means for raising and lowering said turn table, means for effecting the step-by-step rotative movement of said table through predetermined similar arcs, templet means associated with said milling cutter for definitely controlling the milling action thereof to a predetermined degree, means for raising and lowering said milling cutter in substantial synchronism with the raising and lowering movements of said turn table, anvil means for supporting the reed element of each unit during the milling operation thereon, means for raising and lowering said anvil, means for maintaining the anvil and a reed in engagement with each other during the milling operation, a second turn table mounted adjacent the other turn table, an intermediate bridge for transferring reed plates from one table to the other, means for raising and lowering the second turn table, means for rotating the latter table step-by-step through partial revolutions to successively move a reed plate unit carried thereby to different stations of the machine; and means associated with one of the stations of the machine for effecting the setting of a milled reed to a predetermined curvature.

3. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the combination comprising a supporting frame, a turn table mounted thereon, the same having reed-and-reed-plate unit receiving slots on the top thereof, means for the step-by-step feeding across the top of said table to a pre-selected station of the machine of a metal carrier strip, having a longitudinal series of complete reed-andreed-plate units removably mounted therein, reed plate extracting means, including jaw members respectively mounted above and below said table, means for advancing and retracting said jaws with respect to each other, means for synchronously rotating said table, step-by-step, through partial revolutions to cause said table to periodically move a reed plate carried thereby to different stations of the machine, a milling cutter positioned above said turn table, means for operating said cutter, means for raising and lowering said turn table and said milling cutter in substantial synchronism with each other, templet mechanism, including a pattern plate and follower arm, operatively associated with said milling cutter for controlling the cutting action thereof in exact accordance with movement of the follower arm over the contour of the surface of the pattern plate, an anvil for supporting a reed independent of its reed plate during a milling operation thereon, means for raising and lowering said anvil, means for causing the suction engagement of said anvil and a reed during the milling operation thereon, a second turn table having a series of reed plate-unit receiving slots peripherally disposed thereon, means for raising and lowering the same, a bridge member intermediate said turn tables, means for rotating said latter turn table through a partial revolution in synchronism with the movement of the other turn table to move a reed thereon to different stations peripherally thereof, means for accomplishing a predetermined degree of bending of each reed following the milling thereof and pneumatic reedtesting means associated with said second turn table.

4. In a machine for tuning musical reeds,'the combination comprising a supporting frame, a turn table mounted thereon, the same having reed-and-reed-plate unit receiving slots. on the top thereof, means for the step-by-step feeding across the top of said table to a pre-selected station of the machine of a metal carrier strip, having a longitudinal series of complete reed-andreed-plate units removab-ly mounted therein, reed plate extracting mechanism, means for synchronously rotating said table, step-by-step, through partial revolutions to cause said table to periodically move a reed plate carried thereby to different stations of the machine, a milling cutter positioned above said turn table, means for operating said cutter, means for raising and lowering said turn table and said milling cutter in substantial synchronism with each other, templet mechanism,

including a pattern plate and follower arm, o-peratively associated with said milling cutter for controlling the cutting action thereof in exact accordance with movement of the follower arm over the contour of the surface of the pattern plate, an anvil for supporting a reed independent, of its reed plate during a milling operation thereon, means for raising and lowering said anvil, means for causing the suction engagement of said anvil and a reed during the milling operation thereon, a second turn tab-1e having a series of reed-plate-unit receiving slots peripherally disposed thereon, means for raising and lowering the same, a bridge member intermediate said turn tables, means for rotating said latter turn table through a partial revolution in synchronismwith the movement of the other turn table to move a reed thereon to different stations peripherally thereof and means for accomplishing a predetermined degree of bending of each reed following the milling thereof.

5. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally movable tables each having a plurality of reed-and-reed-plate unit retaining means peripherally disposed thereon, means for periodically feeding a reed-and-reedplate unit to a preseiected station above one of said tables, means adjacent such latter table for milling a reed of such unit while the same is positioned thereon, means including a bridge for transferring a reed plate from one table to another in synchronism with the feed of the reedand-reed-plate units to the aforesaid station.

6. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a table, movable vertically and horizontally for supporting reedand-reed-plate units to be tuned and meansfor feeding a reed-and-reed-plate unit carrier strip step-by-step to present a unit to a pre-selected station of the machine above said table, means for transferring a unit to said table, means to retain said unit on said table and means including a templet device, having a pattern plate and follower arm, associated with said table for milling the reed of said unit to a predetermined amount in conformity to the contour of the surface of the pattern plate of the templet device,

While supporting the reed of said unit independently of said table.

7. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a turn table, means for supporting thereon a reed-and-reed-plate unit whose reed is tobe tested for tone, an associated support having an air-cell Whose opposing walls constitute reed-and-reed-plate units, the reed of one of which latter units is a master reed of the tone desired in the tuned reed and the reed of the other of said latter units constituting a mate of such master reed, and said support also having a second air-cell one of whose walls constitutes the aforesaid unit whose reed is to be tested and the opposing wall thereof constitutes a reed-and-reed-plate unit whose reed is of the same tone as said master reeds and is arranged on said latter air-cell as a mate of the reed to be tested, regulatable pneumatic means for sounding each associated pair of said reeds and associated sound amplifying means.

8. The method of tuning reeds of musical instruments which comprises feeding step-oy-step to a pre-selected location above a turn table a reed-and-reed-plate unit whose reed is to be tuned while said unit is removals-1y yet rigidly mounted in a carrier strip in which a plurality of other units to be tested are similarly mounted in longitudinal. series, removing said first mentioned unit from said strip and delivering the same upon the surface of a rotatable table while said table is at one of its stations, and while rigidly holding said unit on said table and also independently supporting the reed to be tested, accomplishing the milling of said reed to a predetermined contour to correspond to the contour of a master pattern, delivering the unit whose reed has been so milled to a second table and while rigidly supporting the reed plate of said unit on said table effecting the bending of the reed of said unit to a predetermined curvature, fitting said unit to one side of an air-cell having a generally similar reed-and-reed-plate unit constituting the other side thereof and whose reed constitutes a mate reed which is of the selected tone desired in the aforesaid milled and set reed and pneumatically sounding the tuned reed and amplifying and recording the resultant sound.

9. In the method of tuning a musical reed, the steps which comprise fitting a reed-and-reedplate unit having a reed to be tested to one side of an air-cell having a generally similar reed-andreed-plate unit constituting the other side thereof and whose reed constitutes a mate reed which is of the selected tone desired in the aforesaid reed to be tested, fitting a master reed-and-reed-plate unit having a master reed, which is of the selected tone desired in the reed to be tested, to one side of a master air-cell having a reed-and-reed-plate unit generally similar to said master unit constituting the other side thereof and whose reed constitutes a mate reed of said master reed, pneumatically sounding the reed of master cell, amplifying the resultant sound thereof, simultaneously sounding the tuned reed of the other cell, amplifying the resultant sound and comparing the sound produced by the master reed and its mate with that produced by the reed under test and its mate.

10. The method of tuning reeds of musical instruments which comprises feeding step-by-step to a pre-selected location above a turn table a reed-and-reed-plate unit whose reed is to be tuned While sa'ld unit is removably yet rigidly mounted in a carrier strip in which a plurality of other units to be tested are similarly mounted in longitudinal series, removing said first mentioned unit from said strip and delivering the same upon the surface of a rotatable table while said table is at one of its stations, and While rigidly holding said unit on said table and also independently supporting the reed to be tested, accomplishing the milling of said reed to a predetermined contour .to correspond to the con-tour of a master pattern, delivering the unit shoe reed has been so milled to a second table and while rigidly supporting the reed plate of said unit on said table effecting the bending of the reed of said unit to a predetermined curvature, said feeding of the carrier strip and the movements of said tables being accomplished synchronously with each other.

11. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising synchronously timed cooperating mechanism for successively milling, setting and testing musical reeds while the same are permanently attached to a cooperating reed plate, the same including a plurality of turn tables, a milling cutter, an associated temple-t device having a pattern plate and follower arm for controlling the character and extent of the milling action of the cutter and adjustable pneumatic mechanism for delivering con-trolled pneumatic impulses to the reeds during the testing thereof.

12. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a plurality of vertically reciprocatable and step-by-step, synchronously rotatable turn tables each having a plurality of reed-and-reed-plate-unit, retaining means peripherally disposed thereon, means for periodically feeding a reed-and-reed-plate-unit to a pre-selected station above one of said tables, means adjacent such latter table for milling a reed of such unit While the same is positioned thereon and means including a bridge for transferring a reed plate from one table to another in synchronism with the feed of the reed-andreed-plate-units to the aforesaid station.

13. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally movabletables each having a plurality of reed-and-reed-plate-unit retaining means peripherally disposed thereon, means for periodically feeding a reed-and-reedplate-unit to a pre-selected station above one of said tables, means adjacent such latter table for milling a reed of such unit while the same is positioned thereon, means including a bridge for transferring a reed plate from one table to another in synchronism with the feed of the reedand-reed-plat-e-units to the aforesaid station and means for bending the milled reed to a predetermined curvature while the same is positioned on one of said tables.

14. In a machine for tuning musical reeds, the sub-combination comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally movable tables each having a plurality of reed-and-reed-plate unit retaining means peripherally disposed thereon, means for periodically feeding a reed-and-reedplate unit to a pre-selected station above one of said tables, means adjacent such latter table for milling a horizontal face of a reed of such unit and for thereafter scraping the opposing lateral edges thereof to remove burrs resulting from such mil-ling operation while such reed is positioned on said table and means including a bridge for transferring a reed plate from one table to another in synchronism with the feed of the reed-and-reedplate units to the aforesaid station. 

